45 Cheap Date Ideas for College Students

Dating in college is fun and unique. No curfews. No one telling you what to do or where to be. No bills to pay. No children to take care of. No full-time jobs. Ultimate freedom. The whole world is available to explore. Yet, most couples choose Netflix/movies and food for dates. Out of all the possibilities you chose staring at a screen for hours? When you could be out exploring new places, having fun, challenging yourself, making memories. Granted money can be an issue when dating in college because, let's face it, we are all broke.

However, being broke does not limit the fun you can have while dating in college. It just makes you more creative. Therefore, I compiled a list of dates that are inexpensive and fun.

1. Challenge each other to a game or teach each other a new sport in the campus gym.
2. Cheer on your sports team.
3. Workout together.
4. Prank mutual friends.
5. Take a hike.
6. Make a scavenger hunt with places around campus.
7. Play games in the game room.
8. Create your own versions of various games. Normal billiards and ping pong become boring after awhile.
9. Climb a tree.
10. Go kayaking or canoeing. Ernies Livery in Masslion or Stark Parks are my favorite places.
11. Find a local river or lake and go swimming.
12. Join a campus group together.
13. Go on a bike ride. At Stark County Libraries you can rent bikes for free! Check it out here!
14. Have a picnic.
15. Go on a drive around town and see where you end up.
16. Gather a group and go to laser quest.
17. Go to a park at night and play on the playground equipment.
18. Go bowling.
19. Go roller skating.
20. Do an art/ craft project.
21. Go hear a speaker on campus.
22. Go to a performance (dance, theatre, music) on campus.
23. Go apple/ fruit picking.
24. Watch the sunset or sunrise.
25. Lay out a blanket and stargaze.
26. Go to Costco/ SAMs Club/ Trader Joes and eat all their samples.
27. Go thrift shopping and see who can find the best and worst outfit.
28. Go to a pottery place and make or paint pottery.
29. Throw a frisbee or baseball on campus or at a park.
30. Get coffee at a local coffee shop. Muggswigs and 4 Kids Coffee beat Starbucks any day.
31. Walk around and explore town.
32. Cook a meal.
33. Have blind taste tests of different foods and drinks.
34. Play bigger better (trade up) either solo or with a team. Bigger better is a game where you start with an insignificant item like a dime and go to a house/dorm and if they would be willing to trade items. Your goal is to get something bigger and better than what you started off with. Then you go to the next house/dorm and this continues for a designated amount of time. Whoever has the biggest best item at the end wins.
35. Karaoke!
36. Volunteer together.
37. Dress up and have a photo shoot.
38. Check out www.thefirstrendezvous.com — it's a business a friend of mine started to help guys on their first dates. It seems pretty cool
39. Groups on campus have different off-campus events, so join them! My boyfriend and I went snow tubing with the international club for cheaper than had we planned to go on our own. Plus, everything is already planned.
40. Simply talk to each other all night.
41. Mini-golf
42. Vlog! Either your life or your friends.
43. Group/Double dates.
44. Attempt to break dumb world records.
45. Netflix. I know this list is about what to do instead of Netflix, but sometimes, after a long day of doing other things you just want to relax and enjoy each other's presence.

Dating in college in easy because you are in such close proximity to each other with limited distractions (other than school of course.)

Spending time with your significant other should be fun, exciting, and inexpensive.

I hope this helped! Have any more ideas? Please comment them below.